RIO Ferdinand managed to avoid the media scrum at the venue for his much publicised drugs ban appeal - by staying there overnight.

It is thought Ferdinand opted to spend the night at the Heathrow hotel where his battle to overturn his eight-month suspension rather than make his entrance in the full glare of publicity, as he did at the original hearing in Bolton last December.

The 25-year-old Manchester United defender knows his immediate future hangs on the result of the hearing, which is expected to last two days, even though character witnesses such as Sir Alex Ferguson will not be required to attend in person.

Ferdinand controversially decided to begin his suspension on January 20 when he lodged his appeal, even though he could technically have carried on playing.

The move has been criticised in some quarters, particularly as United's season has disintegrated in the absence of their record £29.3million signing.

However, the decision was made in the hope that should the three man appeals panel, headed by independent QC Ian Mill and also containing FA chairman Geoff Thompson and FA councillor Roger Burden, will cut the suspension far enough to allow Ferdinand to play for England in this summer's European Championships.

"The thought that I could still play for United and go to Portugal for the European Championships has driven me in training," Ferdinand told The Sun.

Difficult

"Without that, I would have found it a lot more difficult. As long as there is hope, I have to train in the belief the ban will be cut.

"The manager has told me to treat things as if I had an injury and that is exactly what I have been doing.

"I've worked hard, maybe even harder than usual, believing there is light at the end of the tunnel and that things will come right in the end.

"If I didn't think there was a chance of success there would be no point appealing in the first case."

United director and lawyer Maurice Watkins blasted the original verdict as `savage and unprecendented' and the Professional Footballers' Association have been equally vehement in their belief that the suspension - which followed Ferdinand's failure to attend a routine drugs test at United's Carrington training ground on September 23 - was too severe.

It has been pointed out that Dutch duo Edgar Davids and Jaap Stam both received lesser sentences for actually failing tests and part of Ferdinand's defence today is expected to include an analysis of his hair folicles to prove he has not taken drugs.

"If anyone claims they have seen me take drugs they are lying," he said.

While this could be used in mitigation, it is unlikely to affect the verdict given the case has never suggested Ferdinand has taken drugs.

Once more, the FA find themselves in a tricky position, knowing FIFA president Sepp Blatter is ready to step in should the final outcome not be to his satisfaction.

Ironically, the governing body's case will be presented by Mark Gay, who successfully ensured British tennis star Greg Rusedski avoided any punishment after traces of nandrolone were found in his blood sample.

Currently, Ferdinand is not due to return to action until September 20 and while he has appealed in the hope of reducing his suspension, he is also aware it could be increased to as much as 12 months.

While there is no further appeal through the FA, if he still wishes to fight the outcome of the second hearing, Ferdinand could take his case to the Sports Arbitrational Panel in Switzerland.